


Strange Dispositions

by Hersel1234



Category: Marvel, The Wolverine - Fandom, X-Men, xmen - Fandom
Genre: ASL, AU, Angst, Deaf, F/M, Fluff, Gallaudet, Sign Language, Victorian Scandal, Victorian era, victorian au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 11:03:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8141515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hersel1234/pseuds/Hersel1234
Summary: In the 1800's two wealthy business men arrange a marriage between their children. Little do James Howlett and Helena Reese know that they are will be spending prolonged time with another mutant for the first time in their lives. As they spend time together a dark secret unfolds and they must make a decision that will change their lives forever.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! All feedback is appreciated! This is a slightly older fic I posted on another site and am moving here.

James Howlett sat on a chair on the front porch of the large white house situated in the middle of the green grass of the Howlett estate. It was early spring and the last of the snow had melted only a few weeks before but already everything was growing vibrant in colour despite the slight chill that still clung to the air coming off the wind from the Rocky Mountains to the west. He sat opposite of his father John Howlett as they eagerly awaited the arrival of some very special guests. Both were dressed in fine suits, James’ a dark charcoal grey with a deep blue silk vest peeking from beneath with a matching strip of silk to tie back his long hair. John’s suit was black with a deep forest green vest and strip of silk. They were the perfect picture of wealth and high standing in the Victorian Era. John glanced down at his silver pocket watch then up to James. “They should be arriving very soon.” He said with a knowing smile. He was clearly able to see that his son was on edge and nervous, and so he should have been. Ever since they had come outside James had been anxiously fidgeting with his hands and staring over at the dirt road that led up to the front of the house.  
They were awaiting John’s business partner Malcolm Reese. This was a man who James had met several times in the past. Both his father and Malcolm were well to do fur traders for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Canada in the 1880’s. The Howletts did their business from Alberta while the Reese's did theirs from the neighbouring province of British Columbia. As it was John’s wish for James to follow in his footsteps and carry on the family trade he had accompanied the older man on many business trips through the last few years, learning the ropes and becoming quite good in a short matter of time. Today would be very different than most business meetings as it could determine much of his future.  
The purpose of Malcolm Reese’s visit was not trading business this time but a chance for James to meet his potential future wife. The two older men had discussed this much over the last several months through letters and finally told their children of their plans. It seemed the perfect arrangement considering the closeness of the families and the potential to expand their businesses and wealth. It also seemed like a good plan considering both of their children were more than old enough to be married yet still remained single. In the letters the fathers had mentioned their children having “strange dispositions from time to time”, though never spoke of the mutations. John claimed James was too focused on learning the business and had a bit of an unruly temper that combined to make him less inclined to settling down while Malcolm had reported that his oldest daughter was “inclined towards some deafness” that made her a less eligible candidate for marriage. Of course they only spoke of the good things to their children though and the mutations that they referred to as gifts were secrets kept within the families.  
John looked up when James took a sharp breath and leapt to his feet. “They’re coming up the trail, I can hear them.”  
John chuckled faintly at that, standing as well and patting his son’s shoulder. “Stand tall, chin up and remember first impressions. You want to impress this woman.” He smiled warmly as the horse drawn carriage came into view. For a moment he almost worried James wouldn’t be able to get it together but just as the thought crossed his mind the younger man transformed into his usual business like self, quickly pulling himself together as the carriage pulled up in front of the house. “Welcome my friend!” John said loudly, smiling brightly as Malcolm stepped out from the carriage. “I trust your journey was pleasant enough?”  
“Thank you, sir!” Malcolm replied with an equally jolly smile, stepping aside and offering his hand to the woman in the carriage. “Our travel here was marvelous, thank you. The carriage ride was exquisite if a tad brisk.” Out from the carriage stepped a woman who looked every bit like the well to do daughter of a businessman James would have expected. Her skin was pale, as it would be expected of a high class woman, her hair that was perhaps the blondest hair he had ever seen trailed down to her mid-back in soft curls and she had grey-green eyes that matched everything perfectly. Her dress was semi-formal, a soft peach coloured frock made of fine cloth and white lace. Quickly remembering his manners and the constant talks he had been receiving about first impressions, James stepped down from the porch and shook hands with Malcolm while giving a friendly but respectful hello. Next he turned his attention to the young woman. He took her hand gently, bowed and kissed it before standing upright and welcoming them to the estate.  
John smiled proudly as he observed his son. Even as he greeted Malcolm he kept peeking over, intent on seeing what would happen. Evidently Malcolm was interested too because quickly enough both fathers had gone silent and shifted their attention. James introduced himself and quickly ensured that one of the staff of the house would have the guests’ bags taken to their rooms immediately. “You’re as courteous as my father mentioned to me before.” The woman said with a soft smile. “My name is Helena Reese, though I’m sure you have already been told.” She curtsied politely and kept the small smile plastered to her face. It barely took five words for James to pick up on her stumbling accent that he failed to identify. He wasn’t sure he had ever heard it before and couldn’t for the life of him figure where it was from.  
As the two climbed the porch steps and followed the older set of men into the house Malcolm said casually “I’m afraid I kept something from you about my daughter, James.” He spoke as he walked, occasionally glancing over his shoulder as the group made their way the the parlor. “You see, my dear Helena has an affliction you could say. She suffers deafness in both ears and her hearing impairment may make conversation difficult at times and may slur her speech. It isn't that she is ignoring, she may simply not understand.”  
“I am quite sure it won’t be any trouble at all. If it becomes too difficult I see no reason why we couldn’t find something to write on.” He smiled, trying his best to cover everything his father had reminded him of.  
So far Helena had barely said a word while her father spoke on and on for her. “I assure you, there is no need to worry about her breeding. She grew up and took lessons and all just like her sister and her peers. She functions just fine as it is and she even got an education. Why just last summer she graduated from Gallaudet University. It’s a school for the deaf and dumb in The States. Top of her class and she even speaks a second language. I’m afraid it’s a bit of a made up thing and barely anyone understands her but it’s something none the less. Show them a little bit dear.”  
“I rather doubt they would be interested in that, father.” Helena said quietly, a shy look creeping into her expression. James sat beside his father and just across from Helena. While he was well focused on the conversation, something about her scent kept distracting him. She smelled different than most people. Something was….off.  
“We would love to hear it my dear girl. Isn’t that right James?” John said with a polite smile to each of them and a slight nod in Helena’s direction.  
“Yes, of course.” He said quickly. “Please forgive me. Allowing my mind to wander right now is terribly rude.” The three men went silent, all of them focusing their attention on Helena. While they waited for her to speak they were surprised to see her stay silent, instead moving her hands in quick shapes and patterns with barely a sound.  
“It’s called signing or sign language.” She explained, seeing that her hosts looked genuinely intrigued and confused by her little display. “It’s the language we spoke at my school.”  
The rest of the morning was spent in the parlour making idle small talk and sipping drinks, the men all having absinthe while Helena had lemon tea with honey. She was relatively quiet, as was James, though his reason was simply that he prefered observing and listening to actually joining the conversation while he assumed Helena simply couldn’t keep up. Things were quiet, peaceful and civil. The topic of discussion changed repeatedly from the weather, to business, to how things were in each other’s home provinces, to the progress of the railway and what that would mean for business, so on and so forth. “May I open this window?” Helena asked at a break in the conversation.  
“But of course dear. Please do.” John answered with a smile, raising his voice to accommodate her better. From what little he had seen so far, she and James seemed to be taking nicely to one another but he had yet to mention the plan that he and Malcolm had concocted just days before their arrival.  
Helena threw open the large windows with a wide sweeping motion of her arms, inhaling the early spring breeze deeply as she did so. A content look came over her soft features as she sat back in her seat. James inhaled deeply through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment as the cool breeze tickled his face and stung his airways. When he inhaled he could smell the grass, the nearby woods, the animals within it (able to pick out a few deer and a moose farther off) as well as the moisture in the air from the few passing clouds. He could even hear the faint rustling of the greenery as the breeze swept across the land. Almost immediately some of the tension left his body as he focused on what he could sense outdoors from his seat by the open window.  
He was surprised at how soon he heard the light tinkling of the house bell that indicated it was meal time. Glancing down at his pocket watch he chuckled and shook his head. “The day seems to have escaped me. I hadn’t realized how quickly the time was passing!” The small party walked down the spotless halls in sets of two, the older men leading the way and speaking as though they were alone while James and Helena trailed behind them a few feet. “How long have you suffered your affliction, Miss Reese?” He inquired casually about her hearing.  
She raised an eyebrow as if she were about to make some sort of witty retort before collecting herself and responding in the submissive, socially acceptable way of a girl who wanted to please a man into marrying her. “I have had poor hearing since birth and in my teenage years it sustained a substantial drop. I wouldn’t classify it as suffering at all though.”  
As the group sat down at the large polished oak table for lunch John folded his hands and blessed the meal as was customary. The difference was that he kept his hands folded once he had finished and looked at Malcolm in a conspiratorial manner before turning to face Helena and Logan who sat across from one another at the table. “I believe now would be as good of a time as any to bring this news about.” He said, looking at each person around the table for a few seconds each before looking down at his hands then back up again. “Mister Reese and I have made the decision together that Helena will come to live with us until this fall. Until then, she will live as a member of this house so that the waters may be tested. If, at the end of that period, things have gone well, James may choose to take Helena as his bride. If not, she will return home to her father. But enough of that now. For the moment, eat and enjoy yourselves.” He finished with a smile and began to put food on his plate as if to say the conversation had come to a close. Helena and Logan exchanged a quick glance before both averting their eyes rather shyly.  
Despite the efforts put forth by their fathers Helena and James didn’t speak much to one another any more than necessary to remain polite. “Well.” John said with a hearty smile, clasping his hands behind his back. “Mr. Reese and I have some important business to attend to in town this evening. James, why don’t you show Miss Helena around the estate. I’m sure she would love to see the horses.”  
“Why I think that would be a marvelous idea. Perhaps you two could find something in common.” Malcolm said with a smile, putting his hand on Helena’s back and lightly guiding her closer to James. She looked up at him, smiled a bit and agreed.  
As the older pair prepared to leave the younger ones bid them farewell. As he always did, James pecked his father’s cheek and hugged him. “Travel safely. Will you be home tonight?”  
“Oh I’m quite sure we will be.” John said with a nod, giving the same goodbye routine to his son. “We have some old business associates to meet and discuss with, that is all.” He lowered his voice and leaned in a bit closer. “Don’t give up on her yet. Helena is just being a shy girl. I’ve met her many times before and once she opens up, you’ll see why I arranged this.” With that he and his guest left, leaving Helena and James standing in silence and waving them off.  
“Shall we?” James offered, holding out Helena’s parasol to her.  
“We shall but I’d really rather leave that here. It isn’t nearly hot enough to make me any less pale. In all honestly, I wouldn't mind looking like I've spent some time outside.” She smiled and walked alongside her host. She breathed in the spring air deeply. “Everything is so flat here.” She said suddenly.  
James chuckled and shook his head, folding his hand behind his back as he lead Helena along the dirt trail that circled the estate. “I think it may just seem that way to you because you’re from a place with so many hills and mountains. Now, tell me about this school and its language.”  
“Well there is so much to tell. I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific sir.” She said with a bright smile and a chuckle. James was surprised how as soon as her father left Helena seemed to bloom and brighten. She no longer kept her eyes averted or downcast but now looked in every direction and would look him in the eyes when they spoke. He found himself smiling while she explained about how the language actually came from France and how they taught it as well as gave speech training and that the people there didn’t see themselves as handicapped but simply different. She even showed him how to spell his name, which he found rather amusing. As a bit of a game he would point to things at random and see how quickly she could identify what he was looking at and do the sign for it. By the end of it he had decided that his favourite sign was ‘bird’. They stayed out wandering the grounds until the brass bell on the front porch rang for supper.  
The pair actually got along quite well that evening before James led Helena upstairs to her room where her bags had been taken by some of the hired staff. “My room is on the right two doors down. If you need anything, feel free to fetch me.” She thanked him and went into her room, closing the door behind her. He went into his room immediately after and went through his typical before bed routine. In his prayers he asked for his father’s safe return and gave thanks for the good day he had. He then got into bed, pulling his covers up to his shoulders and finally getting comfortable. He focused on trying to remember some of the ‘signs’ Helena had showed him in an attempt to keep the dark thoughts away and protect himself from the nightmares. Soon enough he fell asleep and slept surprisingly peacefully for once


End file.
